The Bloodstone Thief

Khan, Sabina. The Bloodstone Thief
September 16, 2025 by Scholastic Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Laila Habib is not very happy about her family relocating to Houston, Texas from Mumbai, India, but she takes small comfort in knowing that there is only one more year left in her mother's contract in the US. Having her grandmother with the family, and being allowed to continue her training in the art of Kalaripayattu, an Indian martial art, also helps. Still, she's occasionally angry, and when she is going through some unpacked boxes, she comes across a necklace she hasn't seen before. Unbeknownst to her, interacting with the necklace has awoken a spirit that takes her father, although she is told he is just traveling for work. She has access to a magical carpet inhabited by a jinn named Jamshed, who tells her that her father is actually the Jinn King of Qaf. Considering all of the stories her father has told her, this makes sense, and Laila is soon traveling to that world to save her father, armed only with her urumi sword, some sour gummies, and scant supplies. Arriving there, she is saved by a girl named Amina who is her cousin, and learns that her father has been taken by Bilquis, who wants to be the most powerful jinn. Amina's mother is the Sultana Zahra, who tells the girls that they need to find the Bloodstone in order to free Laila's father. Following a clue found in a picture frame, they head to a refugee camp, where they meet Raihan, who joins their quest. They must go to the Cave of Whispers, cross a desert, fight the Serpent Queen, figure out maps and riddles, and eventually go to the impenetrable Emerald Citadel to fight dragons. Even if they find Laila's father, will the people of Qaf be safe? A sequel is a possibility.
Strengths: Laila's experiences moving from Mumbai to Houston are fascinating, and I would have loved to know more about her Kalari training. She puts this to good use, of course, and her father's other lessons about the world of Qaf come in handy as well. The plot moves quickly, and the adventure is fast paced. There are clever moments, like fighting off the Serpent Queen by playing her and her minions with the sour gummies, which send them into a sugar high! The world of Qaf is well developed, with magical places, creatures, and spells that keep Laila and her companions of their toes. This could be a stand alone, but the ending makes me think that there could be another book to continue Laila's adventures.
Weaknesses: This is similar to the many fantasy quest adventures that have been published in the twenty years since Rick Riordan's first Percy Jackson book has come out, but there are always new readers for this genre, and books don't last forever in school libraries.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like culturally connected fantasy quests like Hoang's The Crossbow of Destiny, Lee's Pahua and the Soul Stealer or DasGupta's Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond.